Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Gratitude

Hello family!!!

Every week here keeps getting
better and better... and every week that goes by, the more excited I
get to go out into the field! Time's still flying! I can't believe I've
been here for 6 weeks. (4 weeks, 5 days left!!!) It feels like yesterday
I was just getting here! But the Russian is coming along well, I'm
finally starting to understand it, and I'm almost done with the Book of
Mormon! I've never read it this fast before. I guess that's what happens
when you have 8 hours of study time every day. Oh yeah! The new Russian
Elders and Sisters get here TODAY. We're so excited for them, and that
they get to be speaking the best language in the MTC ;) Ct. Brooks (our
zone leader) asked us if we would write notes to the new missionaries,
so I did, and on my note, I wrote down the scripture Alma 7:23-24, which
says, "23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive
and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffereing;
being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the
commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand
in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God
for whatsoever things ye do receive. 24 And see that ye have faith,
hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works." This
is THE scipture that I wish I could have read my first week here, which,
by the way, was one of the the worst weeks of my life (and by some
miracle, I've made it this far!). This scripture helped me realize what I
needed to do when I needed that "divine intervention" with
transitioning into this completely differently life. So, I thought this
would definitely help them like it helped me.

Every single day I'm grateful for the opportunity to be
here and the two years of my life that I'm sacrificing to bring my
brothers and sisters in Moldova unto Christ and show them how much God
loves them. At first, I wasn't very happy with the fact that I would be
here for 12 weeks, but now, I see it as an opportunity to strengthen my
testimony, and build a solid foundation for learning this crazy Russian
language. But, of course, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am now
without my wonderful family (and friends!). Dad, thank you for being a
worthy priesthood holder and a father who showed his love and
support for me daily (sorry I didn't go golfing with you as much as I
should have!). Lindsay, thank you for the example you are academically,
and with the hard work you put into everything you do. Heidi, thank you
so much for being an amazing motherly figure after Mom died, and for
showing me how I can be productive even when I didn't want to be. Matt,
thank you for being a brother who cared so much about the simple things
in life, and Í'm sorry I wasn't as good of a brother as I should have
been. But most importantly, thank you for being my family, and I'm so
grateful for the blessing that families can be together forever. Because
I couldn't ask for a better family.

I wish I could think of some stories to tell you, but
nothing too exciting happened this week. I just wanted to express my
deep gratitude for you guys, and how much I love you. До Свиданя (I
think that's how you spell it)!

-Elder Farnworth

P.S. Thank you for the cookies Heidi! They were delicious! Also, thank you for the letters! I love reading them.